Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - J.D. Martinez homered and knocked in two
runs to back Max Scherzer's scoreless performance, as Detroit claimed a 5-2
victory over Pittsburgh in the finale of a four-game home-and-home interleague
series.

Nick Castellanos added a late two-run hit and Victor Martinez drew three walks
and scored a run for the Tigers, who rebounded for a split after winning both
contests in Detroit.

Scherzer (14-4) fanned 14 over eight stellar innings, giving up two walks and
three hits. The 30-year-old right-hander set a new season best, eclipsing the
13 strikeouts he recorded at Houston on June 28.

"We needed a win, and our bullpen needed a break," Scherzer noted. "So this
was a huge game for us."

Gaby Sanchez hit a two-run homer for the Pirates, who committed three errors
in losing for the fourth time in their last six.

Francisco Liriano (3-9) struck out nine over his six-inning outing, but issued
four walks and allowed three hits and two runs in defeat.

"I got a lot of swings and misses," Liriano said. "I wasn't trying to do too
much, just locate pitches. I was using all my pitches well."

The Tigers broke the game open in their final at-bat, scoring three times.
Miguel Cabrera doubled with one out, Victor Martinez was given a free pass,
then two batters later, Cabrera scored when Bucs second baseman Michael
Martinez threw low to first on a J.D. Martinez grounder. Castellanos followed
with a two-run single for a 5-0 game.

Phil Coke walked Travis Snider to kick off the ninth, then gave up a one-out
pinch-hit blast to Sanchez which pulled the Bucs within 5-2. Joba Chamberlain
finally locked down the victory by retiring the next two batters.

After making a catch at the left-field wall to rob Josh Harrison of extra
bases in the fourth, J.D. Martinez broke the scoreless deadlock in the fifth
by clearing the left-field wall for his 16th homer of the season.

A double from Rajai Davis and walks to Ian Kinsler and Victor Martinez in the
home sixth loaded the bases with one out, and after Torii Hunter fanned, J.D.
Martinez walked to force in Detroit's second run of the contest.

Scherzer, meanwhile, struck out the side in the first frame and recorded at
least two strikeouts in the second, third and fifth innings.

"When he started out that fast, I was starting to wonder if he could put up a
huge total," said Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, who faced Roger Clemens in 1996
and Kerry Wood two years later during their respective 20-strikeout outings.
"He was making pitches that looked like the ones Kerry was throwing that day."

Game Notes

Scherzer fanned at least 10 batters for the sixth time this season, and for
the 24th time in his career ... Scherzer also worked at least eight innings
for just the sixth time in 2014 and also recorded back-to-back eight-inning
outings for the first time this year ... Following the contest, the Pirates
claimed pitcher John Axford off waivers from the Cleveland Indians ... Both
clubs are back in action on Friday, as Detroit continues its homestand against
Seattle, while Pittsburgh heads to Washington.